Breakdown of El gas sobrepasa tu ahorro y cuesta más dinero del que tenemos.
y
and
tener
to have
tu
your
el dinero
the money
costar
to cost
del
from the / of the
que
that / than
más
more
el gas
the gas
sobrepasar
to exceed (to surpass, overtake)
el ahorro
the savings
Questions & Answers about El gas sobrepasa tu ahorro y cuesta más dinero del que tenemos.
Why do we use del que here instead of just que for "than"?
We use del que because the second part of the comparison includes a conjugated verb (tenemos). If we were simply comparing two nouns without a new verb, we would use que (for example, cuesta más dinero que la luz - it costs more money than the electricity). But when you say "more [noun] than [verb clause]", you have to use a form of de + definite article + que.
Why is it specifically del que and not de lo que?
The definite article in this structure has to match the specific noun you are comparing. Here, the noun is dinero, which is masculine and singular. Therefore, the formula is de + el + que, which contracts into del que. You only use the neuter de lo que when comparing an adjective, an adverb, or an abstract idea, rather than a specific noun.
What if we were comparing a feminine noun instead of dinero?
The phrase would change to match the gender and number of the noun. If the sentence was about plata (a feminine noun often used for money), it would be cuesta más plata de la que tenemos.
The English translation says "savings" (plural), so why is ahorro singular here?
In Spanish, the singular el ahorro is frequently used to refer to the collective fund of money as a single unit, or to the general concept of saving. You will also hear the plural los ahorros, which maps directly to "savings". Both are completely natural, but using the singular treats your saved money as one whole amount.
Can sobrepasar be used for physical things, or just abstract limits like savings?
It can be used for both! It is a combination of sobre (over) and pasar (to pass). You can use it for abstract limits like exceeding a budget or expectations, and also for physical situations, like overtaking a vehicle on the road.
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